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TheyServed Wiki:About
For help in editing and creating articles, see the Manual of Style section. The 'TheyServed' wikia is dedicated to providing a resource on the contributions made to the British Armed Forces during the two world wars by communities that had, for the most part, migrated to Britain in the 19th Century. The scope of the wikia also extends to Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth contributions. About The "TheyServed" wikia was conceived out of a long-standing personal interest. I (Solaran87a) had read about Issy Smith (the first living British Jewish VC) and Walter Tull (one of the British Army's first Black officers) years ago, yet at the time (early 2000s) it seemed as if they were on the periphery when it came to how the First World War was represented and remembered. In 1914, Britain had sizable, long-established German, Italian, Jewish communities - amongst many others - but even in contemporary society, they received little attention. Delving further into their experiences, seeing how they were affected by war, was fascinating. Out of that came the intent to create a space for their stories. The world wars have been subject to increasingly nuanced histories over the years: aristocrats, cities, German Anzacs, prisoners of war, schools, sportsmen, the working class, and many more besides. They have added a personal nuance to a broader history without exceptionalising, and that's the intention of this wikia. There were many instances of 'enemy aliens' being detained while their children were serving in the armed forces. At least one Scottish-Italian (Peter Tarchetti) was a guard on board the Arandora Star when that ship was torpedoed while transporting mostly Italian detainees to Canada. The German community found its loyalty questioned in both wars, and in the First World War the offspring of some 'enemy aliens' were formed into labour battalions of the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment). They were referred to, somewhat derisively, as 'The Kaiser's Own'. Criterion The critia has been broad from the wikia's inception. An individual must satisfy at least one of the following criteria to be eligible for inclusion: *A Commonwealth subject who served in a branch of the British Armed Forces (including on attachment). *A non-Commonwealth citizen who served in a branch of the British Armed Forces (including on attachment or as part of a force in exile; e.g. the Free French). *A person with at least one parent unnaturalized or naturalized as a British subject, and who served in a branch of the British Armed Forces. Manual of Style An article must be referenced, with content attributed to reliable sources. These can be books, diaries, genealogical websites, and news articles. All information must be cited to its source. To cite a fact, add tags next to the fact, and place the citation text between the tags. To ensure that the citation appears, make sure to add the following at the bottom of the article: : References : Tips * When using the same source multiple times, use the tags at the first instance of the cite's use. Subsequent uses of the cite require only the following tag . Category:Policy